* For starters its Birmingham City Centre, warming up the camera with a few shots of Moor Street station and the disused Fox & Grapes pub on Park Street.
* 66 – my Erdington connection, investigating a route that is set to be altered again soon. Having lost its Ladywood link earlier this year, the route currently connects Birmingham and Erdington but will be extended to Sutton Coldfield. Boarding at Moor Street, the route provides a look at Aston University, Nechells, the Star City complex and Gravelly Hill.
* Erdington – time for a few local photos, starting with the Swan, the library and the swimming baths. St Barnabas Church also catches my eye, the clock tower standing tall whilst the rest of the building is covered over following fire damage from a few years ago. Even in its current state the building still conveys a sense of history.
* Rookery Park - after a brief look at the Lad in the Lane pub, I wander into Rookery Park to investigate Rookery House, a rather sad find being as its all boarded up and forlorn. So many of these elegant park buildings end up disused and virtually abandoned, it’s such a shame. In this case, the house looks rather odd juxtaposed with the charming flowerbeds arranged before the front elevation – an array of colours making for a well-kept visual delight.
* Pype Hayes - time for a quiet residential stroll along Moor End Lane, emerging by the Digby and then stopping off at Pype Hayes Park for a spot of lunch. The park is a large open space flanking the Chester Road, and has been a long-term target of mine along with the nearby Bagot Arms pub, so I'm pleased to add both to my burgeoning archive.
* 68A – to the main business of the day then, the Birmingham North Circle. To begin with, I sample the 68a for a short ride to the Fort Shopping Park, a nippy journey that features a loop of the Pype Hayes estates and a glimpse of the Tyburn House inn. At the Fort, the bus negotiates a tight hairpin bend before pulling up in the layby for a few minutes waiting time. I alight and risk life and limb trying to sneak a photo, there’s not much space and plenty of oncoming traffic!!
* Fort – surviving my photo attempts, I have a quick look at the centre itself. There’s a distinctive tower marker with FORT emblazoned on it which you can see from the motorway, and plenty of high street names in an out-of-town arrangement. I perch in the car park to zoom views of some of the shops, including the WH Smith Home Sense and Nandos.
* 68C – with my 68A ride being but a snippet, its time to indulge in some full-on route investigation. The 68C from Fort to Sutton Coldfield takes just under an hour, working its way back through Pype Hayes and into Erdington. The most intirguing sections from my perspective came around Short Heath (local park and the Leopard) then Perry Common, revealing new corners of Birmingham, whilst the journey is also notable for a text exchange with Mr Beardsmore taunting me with mention of gammon and pineapple sponge.
- 68C at Lower Parade -* Sutton Coldfield – Alight at Lower Parade where I pounce for the all-important route photo, again taking the odd risk hoping not to get run over. My attention momentarily switches to the library, currently closed for urgent repairs but I can still photo the entrance frontage within the Red Rose centre. Then its back to the bus stop to wait for the next 68C along which arrives within a couple of minutes or so.
* 68C – completing my North Circle review with a run out to Castle Vale, leaving Sutton via Good Hope Hospital with sightings of Rectory Park and the Boot Inn. The Reddicap Tavern heralds our arrival into Walmley, then its a case of negotiating Minworth with its large Asda supermarket. The approach into Castle Vale is quite industrial before giving over to the residential developments of the regenerated estate. Turnhouse Road takes us into the centre, noting a 67 layover stand then turning right into the very narrow High Street for the local shops just as the drizzle sets in.
* Castle Vale – I alight at the end of High Street, outside St Cuthberts Church and opposite the Community Campus containing the library. Both buildings get some photo treatment despite the gloomy conditions, and I can't resist a peek inside the library for good measure. Having missed out on a 68C shot, I console myself with a picture of the 67 and am pleased when the 638 rumbles through for an unexpected bonus. Given the conditions, I didn't explore much beyond the bus stop so a return visit may well be in order if I am to do Castle Vale proper photographic justice.
* 67 – a Bendibus ride to finish things off. I sit in the front half just before the hinge, and get to see a bit more of the estate rumbling along Tangmere Drive. The Central park is a key feature of the local regeneration efforts, and there are some pointy roadside purple pyramids adding a further sense of identity. A slog down Tyburn Road then awaits, noting a Lidl on a former pub site at Kingsbury Road junction. Spaghetti Junction heralds concrete as the mass of motorways gather above, although we take the sliproad round onto Lichfield Road, leading me neatly to Aston Station and my train connections home.
* It had been a very worthwhile day out, returning to my old style bus-based adventures instead of the extra walking I've been doing more recently. The 68A and C have been part of the Sutton Coldfield bus scene for many years and it seems sad to see that come to an end, although I can perhaps understand the appeal of covering the areas concerned with more linear services. I do feel uneasy that the bus network is gradually losing its character, but at least I have sampled the routes and enjoyed the experience of riding around spotting the various landmarks and features that help to define them.
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